Radiotherapy Kickstarts
Getting ready for radiotherapy
I knew from my initial diagnosis for breast cancer that I would require radiotherapy as an additional tool in my arsenal against removing any rogue cancer cells that had broken away from the original tumour as well as helping to prevent local recurrence in my left breast. If I'm honest, I hadn't really given radiotherapy too much thought or consideration, my main focus had been on the lumpectomy and the demon that was chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was just "something else" that had been added onto the breast cancer treatment list.
At my original diagnosis my understanding was that I would have 3 weeks (15 sessions) of radiotherapy at the hospital which would involve attending the hospital every day with the exception of weekends to be blasted with radiation that wouldn't hurt but may leave me with some soreness. A bit of a contradiction in words there but I got the gist of the well meaning breast consultant.
So a few weeks after my final chemotherapy session had finished, I had an appointment at St James' Hospital, Leeds with the lovely Dr Chaudari to discuss my radiotherapy treatment. As always, Gary attended all the consulting appointments with me. Dr Chaudari explained the process of having to be measured up by the radiotherapy technicians to an exacting set of calculations to ensure that the right amount of radiotherapy was given to a set area on my left breast. To ensure that the exact same spot was radiated each session, I would have 3 dot tattoos on my breast so that the radiotherapy beams could be lined up exacting with each radiation blast. If I'm honest, I wasn't particularly concerned about having 3 dots that would essentially remain throughout my lifetime, as I already had a couple of tattoos on my body, I saw them as a little reminder of my treatment path.
What did come as a shock during my radiotherapy consultation was that a) I would have to hold my breath for 20 seconds during each radiation blast in order to protect my heart and that b) I was now scheduled to have 4 weeks (20 sessions) of radiotherapy rather than 3 weeks.
I immediately raised my concerns to Dr Chaudrai about holding my breath and she said to speak to the radiotherapy technicians as there may be a way around it by lining up the radiotherapy beams differently to protect the heart whilst still delivering the required amount of radiation.
I also found out that the additional 5 sessions of radiotherapy were to actually target the original tumour bed rather than the whole breast area that the prior 15 sessions would target. I didn't relish the idea of 5 additional sessions but the way I looked at it was like this, if it helped to prevent the damn cancer returning then I would do whatever it took.
So after my consultation, I was back in the radiotherapy waiting room and waited to be called through for my measuring up session. Looking around the waiting room I was surprised to see just how many people were there like me waiting. The thing that struck me the most was just how large the radiotherapy unit was - it took up the entire lower ground floor of the Bexley Wing building with consulting rooms and treatment rooms off in all directions. I was also surprised at the wide age range of people sat in the waiting room although it was difficult to see with some people who was the patient and who was the relative, friend, colleague, neighbour who had come along with them for support.
Sure enough I was called through to another consulting room however, this one looked more like an operating theatre and for the first time in my radiotherapy journey, I felt that familiar fluttering of fear in the middle of my chest. I kept rationing with myself that this wasn't going to hurt, I was just being measured up ready for the radiotherapy which would begin just over a week later. However, my brain being as it is, just wasn't prepared to listen and was already running scenerio's through my mind. I needn't have worried though as the technicians were lovely and clear in their instructions and directions in what they wanted me to do and if I'm perfectly honest - I never felt a thing when the 3 tattoo dots were punctured into my breast area. I didn't so much as flinch.
Before I left the radiotherapy department that afternoon I was presented with a sheet of all my radiotherapy dates.
First Radiotherapy session begins
My first radiotherapy session began on the 24th April 2018 at 9am and I won't lie that when I woke up that morning I was a little apprehensive. This apprehension was only because of a result of radiotherapy being all new to me on my breast cancer treatment path. I also wasn't allowed to wear any deodorant in my left armpit as apparently the chemicals in them can be affected by the radiotherapy blast so that put me on a bit of an edge as I didn't want to have a sweaty nor smelly armpit!
My brother, Dave, came along with me to that first radiation session and if I'm honest I was glad as it meant someone else could concentrate on the driving rather than me doing it. With the appointment being so early, it meant setting off a good 75 minutes prior to the appointment time due to rush hour traffic. In hindsight we got to the hospital in good time.
I was sat in the waiting room with surprisingly quite a few other people although I noticed that I was on that first day at least, the youngest by a good twenty years! My treatment was to take place on Treatment Machine No. 10 which was set up more for breast cancers and upper body cancers and was the Room in which the majority of my radiotherapy sessions would be undertaken.
I wasn't waiting much past my allotted 9am appointment time when a young radiotherapy technician called my name and asked me to follow her. I was taken to a changing room with jack and jill doors and asked to remove all upper body clothing, put on one of the delightful hospital gowns, place all my belongings in a basket and wait to be called through. I didn't have to wait long before there was a knock on the changing room door and I was greeted by the same technician and asked to follow her down 2 corridors to the radiotherapy treatment room.
I was surprised at the size of the treatment room and the size of the machine in the middle of it. I looked like a giant x-ray machine with a bed in the middle of it. I was asked to confirm my name, first line of my address and date of birth to ascertain they had the right person and was then informed of the process which I found out was to lay down on the bed, with my left breast exposed and my left arm above head height (because my left breast was receiving the treatment). The technician explained they would line the bed up to the required height and that the machine using laser beams would line itself up with the previously 3 tattoo dots to make sure all was aligned before the radiation would be given. Several adjustments of my body was required to get me in the right place and I was told to relax. Once the technician's were happy they told me to keep still and that the machine would deliver the treatment once they were in the safety of the machine control room.
If I'm honest, I didn't know what to expect once the technicians left the room so I just laid there looking up at the ceiling trying my best not to even move so much as a millimeter. I remember seeing my chest moving in line with my heart beat and I told myself to just calm myself and relax. At that moment, the machine whirred into life and delivered the first of 4 blasts and as quick as it started, it was over.
Almost as soon as the machine stopped whirring one of the technicians arrived back in the room and said I was done for that session and was free to go once I had got dressed back in the changing room.
If there is one good piece of advice I can give if you're going through radiotherapy and that is to moisturise the radiated area once you get back home from your treatment. Don't buy anything special but make sure it is one that your skin and body is used to avoid any possible reactions to the skin. I had used e45 lotion previously so I applied a generous amount to my radiated breast on arrival at home.
I was glad that first session was out of the way with and I now knew what to expect, I just had another 19 sessions to go and my daily radiotherapy changing room selfies would emerge, but that's another blog......!
At my original diagnosis my understanding was that I would have 3 weeks (15 sessions) of radiotherapy at the hospital which would involve attending the hospital every day with the exception of weekends to be blasted with radiation that wouldn't hurt but may leave me with some soreness. A bit of a contradiction in words there but I got the gist of the well meaning breast consultant.
So a few weeks after my final chemotherapy session had finished, I had an appointment at St James' Hospital, Leeds with the lovely Dr Chaudari to discuss my radiotherapy treatment. As always, Gary attended all the consulting appointments with me. Dr Chaudari explained the process of having to be measured up by the radiotherapy technicians to an exacting set of calculations to ensure that the right amount of radiotherapy was given to a set area on my left breast. To ensure that the exact same spot was radiated each session, I would have 3 dot tattoos on my breast so that the radiotherapy beams could be lined up exacting with each radiation blast. If I'm honest, I wasn't particularly concerned about having 3 dots that would essentially remain throughout my lifetime, as I already had a couple of tattoos on my body, I saw them as a little reminder of my treatment path.
What did come as a shock during my radiotherapy consultation was that a) I would have to hold my breath for 20 seconds during each radiation blast in order to protect my heart and that b) I was now scheduled to have 4 weeks (20 sessions) of radiotherapy rather than 3 weeks.
I immediately raised my concerns to Dr Chaudrai about holding my breath and she said to speak to the radiotherapy technicians as there may be a way around it by lining up the radiotherapy beams differently to protect the heart whilst still delivering the required amount of radiation.
I also found out that the additional 5 sessions of radiotherapy were to actually target the original tumour bed rather than the whole breast area that the prior 15 sessions would target. I didn't relish the idea of 5 additional sessions but the way I looked at it was like this, if it helped to prevent the damn cancer returning then I would do whatever it took.
So after my consultation, I was back in the radiotherapy waiting room and waited to be called through for my measuring up session. Looking around the waiting room I was surprised to see just how many people were there like me waiting. The thing that struck me the most was just how large the radiotherapy unit was - it took up the entire lower ground floor of the Bexley Wing building with consulting rooms and treatment rooms off in all directions. I was also surprised at the wide age range of people sat in the waiting room although it was difficult to see with some people who was the patient and who was the relative, friend, colleague, neighbour who had come along with them for support.
Sure enough I was called through to another consulting room however, this one looked more like an operating theatre and for the first time in my radiotherapy journey, I felt that familiar fluttering of fear in the middle of my chest. I kept rationing with myself that this wasn't going to hurt, I was just being measured up ready for the radiotherapy which would begin just over a week later. However, my brain being as it is, just wasn't prepared to listen and was already running scenerio's through my mind. I needn't have worried though as the technicians were lovely and clear in their instructions and directions in what they wanted me to do and if I'm perfectly honest - I never felt a thing when the 3 tattoo dots were punctured into my breast area. I didn't so much as flinch.
Before I left the radiotherapy department that afternoon I was presented with a sheet of all my radiotherapy dates.
First Radiotherapy session begins
My first radiotherapy session began on the 24th April 2018 at 9am and I won't lie that when I woke up that morning I was a little apprehensive. This apprehension was only because of a result of radiotherapy being all new to me on my breast cancer treatment path. I also wasn't allowed to wear any deodorant in my left armpit as apparently the chemicals in them can be affected by the radiotherapy blast so that put me on a bit of an edge as I didn't want to have a sweaty nor smelly armpit!
My brother, Dave, came along with me to that first radiation session and if I'm honest I was glad as it meant someone else could concentrate on the driving rather than me doing it. With the appointment being so early, it meant setting off a good 75 minutes prior to the appointment time due to rush hour traffic. In hindsight we got to the hospital in good time.
I was sat in the waiting room with surprisingly quite a few other people although I noticed that I was on that first day at least, the youngest by a good twenty years! My treatment was to take place on Treatment Machine No. 10 which was set up more for breast cancers and upper body cancers and was the Room in which the majority of my radiotherapy sessions would be undertaken.
I wasn't waiting much past my allotted 9am appointment time when a young radiotherapy technician called my name and asked me to follow her. I was taken to a changing room with jack and jill doors and asked to remove all upper body clothing, put on one of the delightful hospital gowns, place all my belongings in a basket and wait to be called through. I didn't have to wait long before there was a knock on the changing room door and I was greeted by the same technician and asked to follow her down 2 corridors to the radiotherapy treatment room.
I was surprised at the size of the treatment room and the size of the machine in the middle of it. I looked like a giant x-ray machine with a bed in the middle of it. I was asked to confirm my name, first line of my address and date of birth to ascertain they had the right person and was then informed of the process which I found out was to lay down on the bed, with my left breast exposed and my left arm above head height (because my left breast was receiving the treatment). The technician explained they would line the bed up to the required height and that the machine using laser beams would line itself up with the previously 3 tattoo dots to make sure all was aligned before the radiation would be given. Several adjustments of my body was required to get me in the right place and I was told to relax. Once the technician's were happy they told me to keep still and that the machine would deliver the treatment once they were in the safety of the machine control room.
If I'm honest, I didn't know what to expect once the technicians left the room so I just laid there looking up at the ceiling trying my best not to even move so much as a millimeter. I remember seeing my chest moving in line with my heart beat and I told myself to just calm myself and relax. At that moment, the machine whirred into life and delivered the first of 4 blasts and as quick as it started, it was over.
Almost as soon as the machine stopped whirring one of the technicians arrived back in the room and said I was done for that session and was free to go once I had got dressed back in the changing room.
If there is one good piece of advice I can give if you're going through radiotherapy and that is to moisturise the radiated area once you get back home from your treatment. Don't buy anything special but make sure it is one that your skin and body is used to avoid any possible reactions to the skin. I had used e45 lotion previously so I applied a generous amount to my radiated breast on arrival at home.
I was glad that first session was out of the way with and I now knew what to expect, I just had another 19 sessions to go and my daily radiotherapy changing room selfies would emerge, but that's another blog......!
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